Trialing e-Portfolios for University Learning: The Devil in the Detail

Abstract

E-portfolios are among a suite of technologies heralded as having the potential to enhance student learning. In these web-based spaces students can capture and display their development of expertise in a wide range of skills and knowledge, whether specific to their discipline or more broadly applicable graduate capabilities. It is yet to be demonstrated, however, how readily these tools can be integrated within the university curriculum. This chapter reports on the results of a pilot of an e-portfolio tool in an Australian university, involving different curriculum contexts across two semesters. Using a mixed methods approach, feedback was gathered from students and staff in the participating units on their perspectives about the usability of the e-portfolio tool, the support provided, and its effectiveness for their learning. The results reinforce the need for e-portfolios, like any new technology, to be embedded into appropriately designed tasks, which are seen to be engaging, relevant, and part of a fully integrated curriculum experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)